Equalizer-hook for vehicle draft apparatus.



J. B. ASHENFELTER.

EQUALIZER HOOK FOR VEHICLE DRAFT APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED 13110.23, 1907.

Patented Oct. 27, 1908.

v 31 mwwlrou THE NURRIS PETERS co., wnsnmcrcu, n. c.

yw WM .TAOOB B. ASHENFELTER, OF OLEX, OREGON.

EQUALIZER-HOOK FOR VEHICLE DRAFT APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 23, 1907.

Patented Oct. 27, 1908.

Serial No. 407,698.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JACOB B. ASHEN- FELTER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at OleX, county of Gilliam, and State of Oregon, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Equalizer-Hooks forVehicle Draft A paratus, of which the following is a speci 'cation.

My invention relates to equalizer hooks for vehicle draft apparatus.

Heretofore the loo or triangle generally used to connect the raft chainwith the respective sets of doubletrees has been unsatisfactory and notreliable on account of its open formation, permitting it to shift orslip to different positions while in use, thereby transferring too muchdraft to the end of the doubletree to which the loop has slipped; andanother inconvenience has been that the draft apparatus or hitch couldnot be conveniently taken apart.

The object of my invention is to obviate the foregoing difficulties bythe provision of an equalizing hook of such novel construction that itcannot slip and will always maintain the line of draft the same, besidehaving a bill provided with a guard, whereby the draft chain can bereadily detached and the whole hitch taken apart.

The invention is set forth fully hereinafter and the novel features arerecited in the ap pended claims.

In the accompanying drawings :-Figure l is a plan view showing theinvention in use; Fig. 2 is a detail perspective of the invention; andFig. 3, a detail of the guard.

The different sets of doubletrees of a draft apparatus or hitch areshown at 1, 2, 3 and 4, the number being immaterial.

The present invention isintended for use in connection with thedoubletrees 5 to connect their inner adjacent ends to the sections 6 ofthe draft chain. Heretofore open triangular loops have been generallyused for this purpose, but these possess the disadvantage of slippingand thus throwing unequal draft on the different doubletrees 5.

The present invention may be made from a single piece of metal or fromrods suitably welded or twisted to provide two eyes 10 through which thedoubletree hooks 11 are engaged. These eyes, being comparatively small,permit no slipping or derangement of the equalizer hook and hence theline of draft cannot be disturbed.

The device is provided with a hook 12 to be passed through theend linkof the draft chain 6, and this hook or bill is guarded by a gravityguard or latch 13, lvoted at 14. On raising the latch, the c raft chaincan be readily removed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is 1. An equalizing hook for vehicle draftapparatus, comprising an open hook or bill permitting attachment anddetachment of the draft chain, and independent closed eyes forconnection to the dou bletrec hooks.

2. An equalizing hook for vehicle draft apparatus, comprising an openhook or bill permitting attachment and detachment of the draft chain, areleasable guard or closure for said bill or hook to prevent accidentaldetachment of the draft chain therefrom, and independent closed eyes forconnection to the doubletree hooks.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto afiix my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

J AOOB B. ASHENFELTER.

Witnesses CLAUDE RANDALL, LAWRENCE OHILDS.

